The private study room became a sanctuary for Bella's recovery. Sunlight streamed through tall windows as she sat at a small desk, her fingers tracing the lines of a child's drawing. The tutor, an elderly scholar named Master Hiroshi, watched patiently from a nearby armchair.
"Very good, Miss Bella," Hiroshi encouraged softly. "Your hand has not forgotten its grace. See how the brush moves more smoothly today?"
Bella held up the paper proudly - a simple landscape scene with mountains and a river flowing through it. Her lips parted to speak, and though only a whisper emerged at first, she pushed through the effort.
"River... flows," she said clearly, her voice raspy but unmistakable.
Master Hiroshi's face lit up with genuine delight. "Excellent! Two words in one sentence. Your progress is truly remarkable."
Just then, the door opened and Chang Hao entered quietly, his boots making almost no sound on the tatami mats.
Chang Hao's eyes immediately found Bella at the desk, a small smile touching his lips as he saw the drawing in her hands. He approached quietly, not wanting to startle her during the lesson.
"Master Hiroshi," he greeted the tutor with a respectful bow. "How is my wife's progress today?"
The old scholar stood and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty, she has made significant improvement. Look here - she drew this landscape entirely on her own."
Chang Hao moved closer to the desk, his gaze softening as he examined Bella's artwork. "It's beautiful," he said warmly, his voice carrying genuine admiration. "The mountains have real character."
He turned his attention back to Bella, noticing how her cheeks were flushed with excitement from the successful lesson. "And I hear you spoke today? What did you say?"
Bella looked up at him, her brown eyes bright with accomplishment.
Bella's face lit up at Chang Hao's question, and she pointed a delicate finger at her drawing. "River... flows," she repeated more clearly this time, her voice gaining strength from the pride welling up inside her.
Master Hiroshi clapped his hands together softly. "She has been practicing that sentence all morning, Your Majesty. It is a great sign of progress."
Chang Hao's expression shifted to one of pure joy as he watched Bella's triumphant smile. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen such light in her eyes. He moved around the desk and gently took the drawing from her hands, examining it with genuine interest.
"This is wonderful work, my dragon," he said softly, his thumb brushing over the ink lines. "You've captured the way the sunlight catches the water just so."
He looked back at Hiroshi with gratitude.
Chang Hao's hopeful expression faltered for just a moment, the disappointment visible in the way his shoulders sagged slightly. But then he forced a smile, his love for Bella winning out over the sting of rejection.
"Of course, my love," he said quickly, placing the drawing back in her hands with gentle care. "You keep it. It's beautiful."
He knelt down beside her chair so they were at eye level, his hands resting on her knees. "Don't worry about calling me 'hubby' right now. Just hearing your voice is enough for me."
Master Hiroshi cleared his throat quietly from the corner. "Your Majesty, perhaps we should end today's lesson here. Miss Bella has pushed herself quite far."
Chang Hao nodded in agreement without taking his eyes off Bella. "The scholar is right. You've done more than enough for one day."
Chang Hao's heart swelled with pride as he watched Bella's simple joy at repeating her accomplishment. The childlike happiness on her face was a balm to his weary soul, a sign that the woman he loved was still fighting her way back to him.
"River flows," he echoed softly, his voice filled with warmth. "You're right, my clever dragon. The river in your drawing is very beautiful."
He gently took the paper from her hands again, this time folding it carefully and tucking it into his own robe pocket. "I'm going to keep this one with me always. A reminder of the day my Empress spoke to me again."
Master Hiroshi approached the desk with a small wooden box containing brushes and ink stones. "Your Majesty, if I may suggest - perhaps tomorrow we could try writing the word 'river' on its own? It will help strengthen her hand-eye coordination."
Chang Hao nodded approvingly at Master Hiroshi's suggestion. "An excellent idea, Master. Let's focus on simple words tomorrow. Perhaps 'sun' or 'mountain' as well."
He turned his attention back to Bella, whose attention had wandered back to her drawing. Her fingers traced the ink lines lovingly, completely absorbed in her own creation.
"Come now, my love," he said gently, standing up and offering her his hand. "It's time for your rest. You've worked hard today."
Bella hesitated for a moment before placing her small hand in his larger one. The warmth of his touch seemed to ground her, reminding her of the safety she found in his presence.
As they left the study room together, Chang Hao wrapped an arm around her shoulders protectively.